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My reminder popped up on my calendar this morning to start looking at summer camp options for my kiddo and set my coffee date with my husband to dream about where we want to go this summer. While the beach is a choice for many, mountains, rivers, and camping experiences remain enticing options for us.
Arkansas summer vacation is a perfect time to reset, relax, and make memories with your family to find the ideal spots, but you’ve got to plan early. And where do you even start?
How to Find Arkansas Summer Vacation Ideas
I keep a list of vacation ideas on my phone all the time. Sometimes, this is how my husband and I find conversations on dates that don’t revolve around our kids or work. Or, it’s how we spend extended time in the car, dreaming together. We keep a list of dream vacations and things we want to do someday, and then a list of vacations we quickly want to check off with new experiences for a family. And, of course, I’m always adding to my Arkansas Bucket list.
- Listen to ideas from friends’ vacations they enjoy with their family.
- Sit down with your kids and make a summer bucket list of ideas they want to do or places they want to visit.
- Listen to the stories they tell you about what they are learning at school or where their friends visit.
- Use Pinterest as a tool for family vacation ideas.
What Tools Can Help You Plan a Trip?
One of the best things you can do when planning a trip with multiple people is find out if there’s anything you must do while on vacation. Or, if there is anything completely off-limits, that will be a disaster if you include it. Knowing how to accommodate others if you are the vent planner will bring you joy in planning and reduce their grumbles on your trip!
- The first thing I do is make a Google doc where I can place ideas as I come across them. I can also share this document with my traveling companions and allow them to add their ideas to the list.
- Right here at Onlyinark.com is a great place to start for a Natural State-based trip! As the home of tourism, events and highlights across Arkansas, this website shares information about communities across the state. We’ve done the hard work to curate highlights throughout each region.
- Planning tools like Yelp or TripAdvisor help get feedback from people who’ve already been there. I like to type in the name of a town, click on the things to do section, and go down the list one by one to see if there’s anything quirky I’ve missed while planning our trip. Sometimes, when I get past the first page and the main things everyone goes to, I find some of the most incredible experiences people have stumbled upon that end up being highlights in our itinerary.
- Food – I will repeat the same process as I plan restaurants or treats we want to find.
- Pinterest – whether it’s an Arkansas destination or something on our dream list, I can always find ideas for destinations and tips for planning specifics for our trip. I love that I can typically plan the trip’s details, such as hidden gem pizza spots, bookstores or must-see wildlife sightings.
- Something to consider: Everyone may not want to stay together all the time. As you plan, consider that some members of your group may want to stay put, some may want to go on outings, and you guys could just meet up and connect later.
Tackling Meal Planning on Vacation
Trying to figure out how to feed my people can send me into a vacation spiral quicker than anything else. I know hungry bellies will show up and I don’t want to be the only one thinking about this! I try to think about the options in planning so I can communicate, relax, and enjoy my vacation.
- Share the responsibility. If you were going on a trip with multiple families and are staying together in the same place, share the load of cooking, cleaning up, meal planning and buying groceries. Assign meals for each family to make or bring, and then who is in charge of clean up. Use your shared doc to communicate efficiently.
- Post the menu plan in the kitchen or a central place where everyone can see it.
- Pick up groceries or have them delivered.
- Eat out – you are on vacation, after all! Take advantage of hotel breakfast or happy hour snacks. Pack picnic lunches. And eat out your dinners at a local favorite place.
- Build a little room for flexibility if you run across a restaurant you want to try or the weather changes and you can’t be outside.
- Make sure to include a meal of leftovers!
These tips work whether driving to the beach, flying to the mountains, exploring overseas, tackling a nearby lake or touring your town. Below are a series of ideas for great summer Vacation options in Arkansas. Use the research tools above to learn more about the destinations and expand your planning.
5 Arkansas Summer Vacation Destinations for People Who Like the Beach
- Lake Ouachita | near Hot Springs
- DeGray Lake Resort State Park | Bismark, near Arkadelphia
- Beaver Lake | Rogers and Eureka Springs
- Norfork Lake | near Mountain Home
- Greers Ferry Lake | Greers Ferry & Heber Springs
5 Arkansas Summer Vacation Destinations for People Who Like the Mountains
- Mount Magazine State Park | Paris
- Petit Jean State Park | Morrilton
- Buffalo National River and the Ozark Mountains | Jasper & St. Joe
- Pinnacle Mountain State Park | Maumelle
- Queen Wilhelmina State Park | Mena
6 Arkansas Summer Vacation Destinations for People Who Want Solitude
- Richland Creek Wilderness Area & Waterfalls | Pelsor
- Ozark Highlands Trail
- Buffalo River Wilderness
- White Rock Mountain Recreation Area | Mulberry
- Lake Greeson and Daisy State Park | Kirby
- Shady Lake Recreation Area | Mena
4 Arkansas Cities for people who like to go, go, go!
Hot Springs
Known as the Spa City, Hot Springs is a treasure trove of family fun. Spend a day at Magic Springs Theme and Water Park, where kids can enjoy thrilling rides and water slides. Visit Garvan Woodland Gardens, a beautiful botanical garden with interactive children’s areas. Families can also explore the area’s history at Hot Springs National Park, where they can hike scenic trails or tour historic bathhouses. Don’t forget to visit the quirky Mid-America Science Museum for hands-on exhibits the whole family will love of the Gangster Museum of America for a history lesson.
Little Rock
Family-friendly summer activities fill the state’s capital city. Visit the Little Rstate’s, where kids can meet exotic animals and enjoy the carousel and train rides. Explore Pinnacle Mountain State Park, which has hiking trails and picnic areas perfect for outdoor family fun. Stop by the Museum of Discovery, a hands-on science museum featuring interactive exhibits that children will love. Walk or bike across the Big Dam Bridge, North America’s longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge and enjoy scenic views of the Arkansas River. Don’t miss the River Market District, where you can find delicious food, splash pads, and live entertainment.
Bentonville/Rogers
This dynamic duo in Northwest Arkansas is ideal for families who love adventure and culture. In Bentonville, explore Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which offers a free, family-friendly experience with beautiful trails and children’s art programs. Nearby, the Scott Family Amazeum provides hands-on exhibits perfect for children of all ages. Head to Rogers for outdoor fun at Lake Atalanta, which has trails, fishing spots and playgrounds. Take a short drive to Beaver Lake for water-based activities, where families can swim, boat or kayak. Don’t miss splashpads & water parks, city parks, and great food woven around these attractions.
Eureka Springs and Fayetteville are nearby and offer many opportunities for day trip fun to caves, shopping, great food and history adventures.
Fort Smith
Fort Smith is a blend of Old West history and modern family attractions. Explore the Fort Smith National Historic Site, where kids can learn about frontier life and the Old West through interactive exhibits. Take a ride on the Fort Smith Trolley, which offers a charming tour of the city’s historic areas and stop for lunch in the Bakery District. Families will enjoy Creekmore Park, complete with a miniature train ride, swimming pool and playground. For outdoor fun, visit the Parrot Island Waterpark, which features water slides, a lazy river, and a kids’ splash area. Fort Smith’s mix of history and recreation makes it a unique summer destination.
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